


Learning to Love Again

by the_maddy_hatter



Category: Emergency!
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Child Abuse, Love at First Sight, M/M, Soulmates, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-02
Updated: 2015-08-02
Packaged: 2018-04-12 13:04:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4480193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_maddy_hatter/pseuds/the_maddy_hatter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Can something beautiful arise from being pushed over the edge? As a young man, Johnny Gage meets the love of his life. Distance can't separate them for long, can it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Learning to Love Again

**Author's Note:**

> Hello :) this is going to be a two-shot. Please don't read if you don't like what's in it. For now, I've rated it mature, but the second chapter will be explicit. Enjoy!

A crisp "crack" resounded through Gage household as five year old Johnny slammed into the wall. A red mark the size of Roderick Gage's hand blossomed on the young boy's cheek. The child didn't even cry aloud as blood gushed from his nose. His eyes gazed up unseeing as he laid on the kitchen floor of his home. His father jumped from his seat and rushed to his only son.

"Johnny…Johnny! Johnny answer me!" Roderick lifted his young son's head onto his lap as he sat cross-legged on the floor. The blood that gushed from his small nose concerned him, but the fact that he was unresponsive was more alarming.

Suddenly, Johnny began spasming. His limbs shot out at odd, painful angles and his head shot backwards. Roderick recognized the symptoms of a seizure from his medical training during his military days. Acting quickly, he pulled his son into his arms and rushed to the small Ford pickup truck parked in the backyard. Praying to whatever deity would listen to him that his son would be okay. He sped out of his backyard after the truck started up with a roar.

He peeled out of the reservation to the nearest hospital, depositing his young son on the gurney that was presented to him. As doctor the asked questions, he told him the child fell out of a tree. More questions were asked, but Johnny began to spasm again. Leaving the questions behind, the doctor and nurses rushed him to an examination room. After what seemed like a decade, a doctor emerged from the room.

"Mr. Gage?" the doctor asked. Roderick stood to meet the doctor and shook his hand before questioning the doctor on the state of his son.

"Well, Johnny had two early post-traumatic seizures, the second of which we were able to stop with medication. He has a mild concussion, and will need to be monitored for the next few days. He also had a broken nose, but that was easily fixed. He should be back to his normal self and be back to climbing trees in a few days. We checked for cranial bleeding and thankfully none was detected. The concussion will leave him drowsy and with a massive headache for a day or two. Treat with aspirin. As for the seizures, 25% of early post-traumatic seizures will suffer from another. However, it may be months or years in the future. He'll simply have to be monitored." The doctor explained.

Roderick sank back into his chair with relief. He hadn't meant to hit him. Really, he hadn't. He'd been having a flashback to his war days and hadn't realized where he was. When Johnny grabbed ahold of his leg shouting, he reacted without thought. He only snapped out of it when he heard the crack of his son's face hitting the wall.

He decided then and there. He was a danger to his child, despite his attempts to control his flashbacks. When he went back to the war, hardly anything could bring him back to reality. His wife Molly passed away in childbirth, leaving Johnny motherless and in the care of his father. He couldn't provide the care Johnny needed. Standing and moving to the payphone, he deposited a few coins.

"Gage household!" a small voice piped up. Roderick couldn't help but laugh.

"James, please give the phone to your father if he's available." Roderick heard the sound of feet running and shouts of "Daddy! Phone!" They brought tears to his eyes, knowing what he was about to do.

"Eric Gage, may I ask who is calling?" a booming voice came over the phone.

"Eric, it's Rod. I need to talk to you. Listen, I need you to do something for me. I'm at the hospital for John. I…I hit him. I was having a flashback and I just…I didn't even recognize my own son! I hit him…he hit the wall and…Jesus. I hurt my son. He's had two seizures. And I broke his nose. Please…please take him. For a while. I don't know how long…but he clearly needs away from me. He needs a mother and father. I know you're only his uncle and you've got two kids. But he needs away from me…I'll only hurt him…" Roderick whispered softly at the end before breaking off into tears. A sigh came from the other end.

"Rod. I don't know how long I'll be able to take him. But for a while he can stay here." His brother sighed.

"Thanks 'ric…I'll bring him once he's out of the hospital…"

~~~

"Daddy, where we going?" Johnny asked blearily in the truck as he sat in the passenger's seat of his father's Ford. Roderick just gently patted his shoulder and told him to sleep. They'd be there when he awoke. As Johnny fell into a light slumber, he saw the other side of reservation come into view. The only people he really knew on the other side of the reservation were his aunt and uncle and the shaman. While the shaman was wise, he did scare the young boy.

When Johnny woke up, he was lying on the couch of his aunt and uncle's house. He sprung up, searching around the house for his father.

"He ain't here, half-breed." A voice came from behind him, sinister and angry. Johnny gazed into his uncle's irritated face. He knew the man never liked him much, but never knew why. What was a half-breed?

"What's a half-breed Uncle Eric?" Johnny asked with an innocent tilt of his head. In response, he was picked up by the front of his shirt.

"It's what you are. Dirty white whore for a mother and useless excuse for a Lakota father. They both left you. Your mother died and now daddy's gone. He left you here with me. Guess he was tired of having a filthy half-breed for a son." Johnny screwed his eyes shut against the onslaught of insults as silent tears slipped down his cheeks.

"Oh, now the half-breed cries. Hmph. Go to your room, filth. When I say 'your room,' I mean the basement. Go!" his uncle roared, dropping him back onto his feet. In a split second, Johnny raced toward the basement. There he found a makeshift cot with ratty blanket and a stiff pillow. He leaped onto the bed and buried his head in the pillow, tears soaking it.

What did Uncle Eric mean? Did Mommy die because he was a half-breed? Did Daddy leave him there because he was ashamed? Ashamed to have him for a son? With these thoughts stuck in his head, he fell into a fitful sleep.

~~~

The years fell away quickly enough. Now eighteen years old and a senior in high school, Johnny was stuck at a small stature compared to his peers, leading to plenty of teasing. He just brushed it off with a grin. He wore the mask of happiness, leading others to believe he had the perfect life. He was a track and cross country star, lived in a beautiful home, had a loving uncle and aunt. He had everything. But he had nothing. No loving home life, no sweetheart, nothing. He had nothing the other seniors had. He was picked on mercilessly for his lack of girlfriend, but that was one thing that didn't bother him. He wasn't interested in the girls at all. Not like he should be at least. He had plenty of female "friends" but never any closer.

When he was a junior in high school, he did find a bright spot in his life. Not only was running able to lift some of the weight off his shoulders, he also discovered self-harm. Granted it wasn't the greatest thing to do, but it helped. He carefully hid scars where no one would find them – on his thighs, upper arms, et cetera.

As the year accelerated to its closing, the abuse from his uncle escalated. As a result, his self-harm escalated. Finally, on the 21st of May, Johnny made a decision that would drastically alter the future.

He decided to take his own life.

He briefly wondered if anyone would be sad. Perhaps Aunt Mary, out in California. She was Molly's only sister. Perhaps she'd grieve for her fallen nephew. What about his father? Would he show his face at his only son's funeral? Johnny had taken matters in his own hands after a round of verbal abuse from his uncle. He'd gone to the tribe's shaman and asked if his father was still alive. He was told yes after the shaman had asked the Great Spirit for a sign. When the young man left, the shaman let out a pent-up sigh. He'd been given a mission by the Great Spirit – look out for John Gage. But he was far too old. Certainly the Great Spirit would give the job to someone else.

At 7:10 PM on May 21st, Johnny stepped into the bathroom of the Gage home. Soon, he mused, he'd be home. With his mother, waiting for his father to join them and complete their family. Hiding his switchblade in his towels, he filled the tub with warm water. This was his backup plan. Should he only lose enough blood to pass out, he'd simply sink into the water never to emerge again.

Silently praying to the Great Spirit for what he was about to do, he said his final goodbyes to everyone. To his mother, he promised to meet her soon and apologized for being unable to live up to whatever her expectations were. To his aunt, he thanked her for the few times she'd taken pity on him. To his "friends" from high school, he said he was sorry he wouldn't be there to watch their lives advance. To his uncle, he cursed him to the deepest pits of hell for what he'd done to him. Finally, he looked up and spoke to his father.

"Father. I don't know if you're out there or not, but if you are, just know I'll be waiting for you in the Great Beyond. And I will expect answers. Despite how absent you were in my life and everything Uncle Eric says…I remember the good times." With tears in his eyes, he stripped and pulled his switchblade out of his folded towel. He got in the tub, careless of whatever mess he made. It wasn't like he'd be around for Eric to beat on for it.

Heaving a sigh of mixed relief and sadness, he made two cuts into his arms, from his elbow to his wrist. He relaxed back into the tub and let the numbness he'd come to love take over him. His thoughts floated as blood flowed from his wrists into the water, tinging the tub pink. Did he have a soul-mate out there? Would they move on? How would the track team do next year?

As he drifted into unconsciousness, the door opened. He never heard the blood curdling scream of his aunt.

~~~

"Oh Johnny…my sweet Johnny…" a female disembodied voice whispered softly. Gently hands caressed his face as he faded back into consciousness. The woman in front of his was gorgeous. She had long blonde hair, green eyes, a splash of freckles covered the bridge of her nose. She had a small figure. He recognized her from somewhere, but could not remember where.

"Silly goose!" the woman exclaimed while tapping his nose gently, "How can you not recognize your own mother?" She gave him a grin and her entire face lit up. She was even prettier when she smiled. If this really was his mother, Johnny could see how his dad fell head over heels for her. It was then he realized she was cradling his head in her lap, carding thin fingers through his hair.

"Oh, how I loved doing this when you were little. Of course, you'd never feel it. But I loved just running my fingers through your hair and talking to you, even though you couldn't hear me. I would sing to you when you were a baby. You could see me then. You'd always smile and wave your chubby fists as you slowly fell asleep. They aren't kidding when they say babies are the most perceptive of all humans." His mother rambled.

"Where are we?" he asked, interrupting her tangent. She flushed brightly and excused herself for her runaway thoughts.

"We're in a place known as Limbo, sweetheart. It is neither the Great Beyond nor hell. You are here because it isn't your time. And I'm here to guide you back." Molly explained with a small smile.

"What do you mean I'm not meant to be here!? I've got nothing left to live for! You…died! Dad abandoned me and Uncle Eric beats me within an inch of my life on a near daily basis. I have to be meant to be here!" tears flowed freely as he shouted this. Molly's own eyes clouded.

"Johnny. You do have a reason to live. You will meet him very soon. You'll know. Soul-mates are real, my dear son. Your father was mine. And he hasn't abandoned you. He hasn't forgotten you. He thinks of you every single day. He gave you to Eric because he was afraid to hurt you. I can't tell you why. But know that I love you very much and your father does too. Your paths will intertwine again my son. And do not sit here gaping at me like that young man! I do know of your preferences, and there is nothing wrong with them. You love who you love, Johnny. Oh, my sweet baby boy…it isn't your time. You have to go back home. You have a destiny to fulfill. Just know that I watch you every single day. And I will watch you every day until we meet again. I love Johnny." Tears fell from Molly's eyes as they fell harder from Johnny's eyes.

"I love you Mommy. Show me how to get back? I guess I have a soul-mate to meet." Johnny grinned sadly as he hugged his mother. She gave a sweet smile and began explaining just what he needed to do.

~~~

Kelly Brackett studied the patient lying in the hospital bed. He was a relatively short young man, for the age of 18. He had dark brown hair and lightly tanned skin. What truly disturbed him about this patient was the scars covering his thin body. He was with his father when he looked him over.

*Flashback*

"We've got an attempted suicide we need to look at, Kel." Dr. Alan Brackett announced to his son. Kelly, his eldest, was about to enter his final year at medical school. At age 26, he was tall and handsome, making many women swoon. But Alan knew about his son's…preferences. But that didn't deter him from his profession as a doctor. Their hometown was a very accepting community compared to the rest of the country.

Kelly grimaced. He hated cases like these. Attempted suicides, beatings, and such were the worst. His father led him to a small room with a clipboard resting on the wall.

"John R. Gage. 18 years old. Slit his wrists in a bathtub full of water. Extensive scarring on the body points to abuse. The cousin he lives with confirmed that his uncle, Eric Gage, abused him severely." Dr. Brackett explained as they walked toward a small room. The young man who laid on the bed was far too pale to appear Native American at that moment.

"Mother, white, died in childbirth. Father, Lakota, abandoned him at age five. Left him in the care of his brother. Bad decision, if you ask me. Graduates from Northern High School with honors in a few days. I think it's pretty clear he won't be attending. Athletic star. Height is 5'9", weight is 120 pounds. Malnourished. It took two blood transfusions to bring him back. Kel, I want you to watch over him. I know you want to help me with active patients, but I need you here right now. You're not licensed to practice as of yet and I need to know the instant Mr. Gage wakes up." his father told him quietly. Without putting up an argument, Kel sat down in the hard plastic chair and waited.

*End Flashback*

Kel began to think about his inevitable residency. He had applied at his local hospital, Rampart, and they'd been more than happy to take him on for an emergency room residency. Kelly enjoyed the fast pace of an emergency room and the need to work together as doctors and nurses in order to save as many lives as possible.

As he thought about his final year at Johns Hopkins, the patient in front of him began to stir. Kelly took his vitals and was satisfied to see most of his values had come back within range, save the blood pressure. It was still slightly low.

~~~

The first thing Johnny saw as he opened his eyes was a rather blurry blob. When he blinked a few times, the blob took shape and came into focus as a handsome young man. He shook his head slightly at the thought, but gave a smile. Perhaps this was the soul-mate his mother was talking about.

When John opened his eyes, Kel felt a shock go through him, almost like a bolt of lightning. It was amazing and his eyes widened when the smaller man gave him a smile.

"Hello John. My name's Kelly Brackett. I'm studying to be a doctor, and I came with my dad on his so-called 'medical mission.' How do you feel?" Immediately, Johnny tried to sit up and speak. His voice came out as a croak. Kelly helped him into a sitting position and poured a glass of ice water, handing it to the patient.

"My name's Johnny. Not John. I'm okay I guess." Johnny trailed off, gesturing to the IV in his arm as well as the hospital issued gown. Kel gave him a smile and started to walk toward the door.

"I'm going to find my dad. He said to get him as soon as you woke up." with that, Kelly disappeared, leaving Johnny with his thoughts for however long he had. Kelly was very handsome and kind. His mother's words stuck in his head. He'd know when he found his soul-mate. Was Kelly what he was looking for?

Kelly walked back in with an anxious looking older man at his heels. He walked into the room and immediately over to his patient while Kelly hung back and observed.

"Well John," Johnny gave a grimace, "you gave us quite a scare for awhile! But I believe you'll be okay now. Let me check you over, then we need to talk about something very important." while Alan thoroughly checked the young man over, Kelly explained that Johnny preferred his nickname.

"Johnny," the doctor said seriously as he sat down in the chair beside Johnny. With the patient's permission, Kelly sat down on the edge of the bed. "I need to know why this happened. I also need to know why there are so many scars covering you. Please. I need you to talk to me, Johnny. I'm not going to pretend to be your friend. I'd like to be your friend as well as your doctor, and I can see my boy here has taken a shine to you. So please talk to us, Johnny. We mean only the best for you." Alan murmured quietly to the strangely silent young man. He felt comfortable with these people, despite hardly knowning them. Should he open up? Could he?

The tears stung his eyes as he began to open up completely about his past. Alan gave sympathetic clucks and frowns, but took it no further. Kelly was a different story. He gave Johnny's hand a gentle squeeze when his emotion overtook him. When Johnny finished his tragic story, Kelly gave him a tight hug, allowing him to hide in his shoulder. Alan decided to leave the two alone, giving Kelly a tap to let him know he was leaving.

"Uhm, Johnny, I really don't know how to say this. Look, I just..." Kelly trailed off with a sigh, dragging one hand through his hair. Johnny gave a patient smile, waiting for Kelly to continue.

"I don't know what it is. I like you. Not like two guys 'should' either. I mean...damnit. I don't know what this is!" Kelly growled and turned to face Johnny when he laughed quietly.

"Kelly, I feel the same. If you're trying to tell me you're gay and like me, just come out and say it!" He gave an indulgent smile. Kelly stared crossly at a wall.

"I'm gay and I like you." Kelly was shocked when a kiss was pressed to his cheek and Johnny confessed the same.

"Uh...I'm going to get dinner at some restaurant near here...probably fast food...want something? I know hospital food is terrible. My treat." Kelly stumbled through his thoughts. Did he really have a boyfriend now? What would happen when he went back to medical school? He pushed everything aside when Johnny's stomach gave a loud rumble before he could even open his mouth to answer. The answering blush and smile was adorable.

~~~

"Johnny! I'm sorry okay! But I have to go back...you know I love you...but I have to go back." Kelly yelled. They'd been together the entire summer, but it was time to go back to medical school. Johnny couldn't go with him. He was leaving for California, L.A. to be specific, with his Aunt Mary tomorrow evening. He'd been in the hospital for quite a while for intensive psychiatric treatment due what happened. His aunt couldn't take him until early September and Kelly would certainly not allow him to return to the house of horror as he'd dubbed it. So he ended up staying with the Bracketts. They were kind and knew of his relationship with Kelly. Anne Brackett even treated him like another child.

They'd had the same argument every day for the past week. Tomorrow was the day Kelly would leave to go back to Maryland for a year. A whole year before he returned to his native California. Then, he would come back to L.A. County and to Rampart General Hospital. Johnny would help the Bracketts pack before leaving for the airport himself. He was accepted to a community college on a full scholarship in exchange for running track for them. The Bracketts would then leave the reservation the next day to head back to California. Their mission was over.

Johnny shuddered as he held back tears. This had been the best summer of his life. He'd spent literally every day with Kelly. They grew to know each other as well as they knew themselves and loved each other deeply. But it seemed like it was all for naught. To Johnny, it seemed like Kelly was simply throwing their relationship to the wind. The rational side of his brain knew Kelly had begun his education before they'd met and of course had to finish it if he wanted to become a doctor, but the irrational side of him murmured that he meant nothing to Kelly all along.

During his musings, Kelly had wrapped his arms around him tightly. With a shuddery sigh, Johnny wrapped his own arms around Kelly's neck and buried his face in his neck. The inevitable tears began to fall. Kelly just held on for the ride.

"I don't want you to go...but...I have to let you go. Just promise me something." Kelly gave a nod to continue, "If you're still single when you come back home...find me. I don't care how. Just find me."

Kelly gave a sad smile. Of course he'd still be single. No one could compare to his Johnny.

~~~

It was the evening of September 5th. Johnny was silently sobbing in his seat on the airplane to California. It was a teary goodbye he said to the Bracketts. He promised to keep in touch with everyone. Especially Kelly. But he knew he'd be too busy. Kelly always told him how busy he was during the school year. The elderly man on the plane sitting next to him lightly tapped his shoulder. Wiping his tears, he turned to face him.

"Young man, you look like you've just lost the love of your life. So I want to tell you something. It can get better. I promise that. When I went away to fight in World War I, I thought my life was over. I thought my sweetheart would leave me since I couldn't be there for her. But she surprised me. Goes to show you how powerful love is. Our love bridged continents and battle zones. She gave me three beautiful children, and they gave me plenty of grandbabies. But my point is that love is stronger than distance. Just hold on. Your girl or guy will find you eventually. I just lost my Betty recently...she was beautiful to the end." The man told him as tears rolled down a beaten old face. Johnny spent the rest of the flight crying for a new reason. He didn't cry for Kelly anymore. If what that old man told him was true, he'd find him. He cried for the old gentleman next to him losing his wife, the children who lost their mother, and the grandchildren who lost their grandmother.

When they got off their plane, the man thanked him for listening. Johnny was shocked.

"You know, not too many people are willing to listen to an old man like me. Thank you. It was a wonderful healing experience to talk about my Betty. Your Kelly is a lucky man and he'd better appreciate you. I hope you two find each other soon. The look in your eyes when you talked about him showed me how much you love him. Good luck, Johnny." the old man gave a grin that was all loose dentures before he turned to find his eldest son. Johnny turned away with a soft smile to find his aunt.

He found her standing with a sign saying 'John Gage.' She was a small-ish woman with his mother's blonde hair. They looked much the same, but Aunt Mary was taller and had shorter hair. She also wore glasses. When she spotted him she gave an enthusiastic grin and nearly tackled him with a hug. The man standing next to her looked amused. Johnny recognized him from pictures as her husband Eddie.

When he turned to grab his bags, he noticed a shimmery figure. His mother gave a smile and wave before disappearing completely. He knew he'd be okay.

~~~

Kelly was miserable. He was states away from the one person he wanted to see, didn't have a phone number for him and was far too busy studying to write an actual letter. Besides, what would he even say? Having a great senior year without you, hope you're having fun too? With that thought, Kelly slammed his head down on the table. 'Just a few more months,' he told himself, 'just a few more months.'

And the months passed relatively quickly. He studied until he felt like his head was stuffed with cotton, but it paid off greatly. He graduated with honors near the top of his class, and was rewarded by his parents with a first class ticket to come back home to California. Finally. Finally, he could leave Baltimore and begin his life anew in L.A. He just hoped Johnny hadn't forgotten him.

~~~

And Johnny most certainly didn't. When he dropped out of college after the first few months, neither Eddie nor Mary were surprised. It just wasn't a good fit for him. What did surprise them was Johnny joining the firefighter's academy less than a week later. Apparently he'd thought about this decision long and hard. He graduated from the firefighter's academy and became what was known as "the boot."

During this time, Rampart General Hospital started a paramedic program. They were desperately needed due to the number of accidents that were unnecesarily fatal. A doctor by the name of Dr. Early was in charge of the program after a close friend of his, nurse Dixie, was saved by paramedics. Johnny jumped at the opportunity to become a paradmedic. He'd always loved the sciences, loved helping people and he would still be a firefighter. He graduated the program and was transferred to Station 51 to be partnered with Roy DeSoto, a senior fireman.

"You must be Roy!" a voice greeted from behind said man. Roy turned around to see a young man with a tanned complexion and brunette hair standing behind him. This must be Johnny Gage. Great. A young surfer boy.

"C'mon surfer boy. I need to show you the medical box and equipment." Roy replied gruffly. Johnny instantly deflated and followed along solemnly. Their relationship would be this way until their first rescue. An infant had a grand mal seizure. The mother was inconsolable, but the way Johnny tried to keep her calm while caring for the little girl was amazing. He even stopped by the hospital later on to see how the child was doing, buying her a teddy bear in the process. He knew Rule Number 1 was never to get attached to patients, but he didn't care. He adored children. And damnit, if he was going to break Rule Number 1, he'd shatter it.

"That was a pretty great job you did back there. Good job, Junior." Roy muttered softly as the squad pulled out of the hospital parking. Johnny's head snapped up so hard he thought he'd gotten whiplash. It was the first of many compliments Roy would give him, and was the start of quite a beautiful friendship.

"I'm not a surfer boy, yanno. I'm just a half-Native American from Montana."

~~~

Roy pulled into the driveway of his home after a 48 hour shift with Johnny right behind him. He'd invited his partner and now friend to his house for dinner after receiving permission from his wife of ten years, Joanne.

"Daddy!" came twin yells from two little tornados. Chris, his seven year old son and Jenny, his five year old daughter were blurs as they ran into their father's arms. He didn't miss the sad, nostalgic smile on his partner's face when Joanne kissed him. The kids noticed Johnny when they were put down from their hug and hid behind their father. Well, Jenny did. Chris stood beside Joanne.

"You must be Johnny! It's nice to meet you dear! Come on in, dinner's almost ready. Kids, go wash up. Roy, you and Johnny go get ready too." Joanne commanded gently and managed to push Johnny, Roy, and her kids toward the bathroom to wash their hands.

"Before you say a word, yes, she sure is something." Roy said with a grin.

"You got that right, Pally."

Dinner was served while Johnny was peppered with questions from two inquisitive kids and Joanne. Various questions were thrown at him, from simple one like, "What's your favorite color?" to not-so-simple ones like, "Why are you so tan?"

After dinner, Joanne pushed the kids to the backyard to play, not quick enough to stop them from grabbing Johnny and dragging him along. Thankfully, he had more than enough energy to keep up.

"Jesus Junior. I don't know how you keep up with them and keep going back for more!" Roy grumbled as he carried a thoroughly exhausted Jenny up to bed. He was invited to sit on the couch whle the parents tucked the children in for the night.

"So Junior, there's something I've gotta ask. You were giving me and Joanne weird looks all night. Why? Wish you had a girl as sweet?" Roy asked as he sat down in his chair. Joanne sat on the couch while Johnny occupied the chair next to Roy. Before he could respond, Joanne piped up.

"Of course he doesn't want a sweet girl like me. He's gay silly."

Both men gaped at her. She gave an innocent grin. The first question Johnny asked was, "How'd you know!?" while Roy yelled, "Are you really?"

"Yes really but how the hell did you know? Excuse the language..." Johnny trailed off sheepishly. Joanne proceeded to explain that it was just a feeling.

"So, you're not after a sweet woman like Jo...well...I dunno if I could set you up with a guy..." Roy mumbled. Johnny quickly shot that idea down.

"No, no, no. I already have a guy. Well, I think. I don't know! But here's the story..." Johnny rambled and told the story of Kelly and how they met.


End file.
